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Insulin resistance is a compromised response to insulin in target tissues such as liver. Emerging evidence shows that vascular endothelial cells (ECs) are critical in mediating glucose metabolism. However, how liver ECs can regulate inflammation in the setting of insulin resistance is still unknown. Using genome-wide transcriptome analysis of ECs isolated from diabetic mice, we found enrichment of the genes involved in epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr) signaling. In line with this, hepatic sinusoidal ECs in diabetic mice had elevated levels of Egfr expression. Interestingly, we found an increased number of hepatic myeloid cells, especially macrophages, and systemic glucose intolerance in Cdh5Cre/+Egfrfl/fl mice lacking Egfr in ECs compared with littermate control mice with type II diabetes. Egfr deficiency upregulated the expression of MCP-1 in hepatic sinusoidal ECs. This resulted in augmented monocyte recruitment and macrophage differentiation in Cdh5Cre/+Egfrfl/fl mice compared with littermate control mice as determined by a mouse model of parabiosis. Finally, MCP-1 neutralization and hepatic macrophage depletion in Cdh5Cre/+Egfrfl/fl mice resulted in a reduced number of hepatic macrophages and ameliorated glucose intolerance compared with the control groups. Collectively, these results demonstrate a protective endothelial Egfr signaling in reducing monocyte-mediated hepatic inflammation and glucose intolerance in type II diabetic mice.

Background: Peripheral ischemia caused by peripheral artery disease is associated with systemic inflammation, which may aggravate underlying comorbidities such as atherosclerosis and heart failure. However, the mechanisms of increased inflammation and inflammatory cell production in patients with peripheral artery disease remain poorly understood. Methods: We used peripheral blood collected from patients with peripheral artery disease and performed hind limb ischemia (HI) in Apoe −/− mice fed a Western diet and C57BL/6J mice with a standard laboratory diet. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, whole-mount microscopy, and flow cytometry were performed to analyze hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) proliferation, differentiation, and relocation. Results: We observed augmented numbers of leukocytes in the blood of patients with peripheral artery disease and Apoe −/− mice with HI. RNA sequencing and whole-mount imaging of the bone marrow revealed HSPC migration into the vascular niche from the osteoblastic niche and their exaggerated proliferation and differentiation. Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated alterations in the genes responsible for inflammation, myeloid cell mobilization, and HSPC differentiation after HI. Heightened inflammation in Apoe −/− mice after HI aggravated atherosclerosis. Surprisingly, bone marrow HSPCs expressed higher amounts of the receptors for IL (interleukin)-1 and IL-3 after HI. Concomitantly, the promoters of Il1r1 and Il3rb had augmented H3K4me3 and H3K27ac marks after HI. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of these receptors resulted in suppressed HSPC proliferation, reduced leukocyte production, and ameliorated atherosclerosis. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate increased inflammation, HSPC abundance in the vascular niches of the bone marrow, and elevated IL-3Rb and IL-1R1 (IL-1 receptor 1) expression in HSPC following HI. Furthermore, the IL-3Rb and IL-1R1 signaling plays a pivotal role in HSPC proliferation, leukocyte abundance, and atherosclerosis aggravation after HI.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent public health problem that affects about one-third of the US population and leads to serious vascular complications with increased risk for coronary artery disease. How bone marrow hematopoiesis contributes to diabetes mellitus complications is incompletely understood. We investigated the role of bone marrow endothelial cells in diabetic regulation of inflammatory myeloid cell production. Methods: In 3 types of mouse diabetes mellitus, including streptozotocin, high-fat diet, and genetic induction using leptin-receptor-deficient db/db mice, we assayed leukocytes, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). In addition, we investigated bone marrow endothelial cells with flow cytometry and expression profiling. Results: In diabetes mellitus, we observed enhanced proliferation of HSPC leading to augmented circulating myeloid cell numbers. Analysis of bone marrow niche cells revealed that endothelial cells in diabetic mice expressed less Cxcl12 , a retention factor promoting HSPC quiescence. Transcriptome-wide analysis of bone marrow endothelial cells demonstrated enrichment of genes involved in epithelial growth factor receptor (Egfr) signaling in mice with diet-induced diabetes mellitus. To explore whether endothelial Egfr plays a functional role in myelopoiesis, we generated mice with endothelial-specific deletion of Egfr ( Cdh5 Cre Egfr fl/fl ). We found enhanced HSPC proliferation and increased myeloid cell production in Cdh5 Cre Egfr fl/fl mice compared with wild-type mice with diabetes mellitus. Disrupted Egfr signaling in endothelial cells decreased their expression of the HSPC retention factor angiopoietin-1. We tested the functional relevance of these findings for wound healing and atherosclerosis, both implicated in complications of diabetes mellitus. Inflammatory myeloid cells accumulated more in skin wounds of diabetic Cdh5 Cre Egfr fl/fl mice, significantly delaying wound closure. Atherosclerosis was accelerated in Cdh5 Cre Egfr fl/fl mice, leading to larger and more inflamed atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta. Conclusions: In diabetes mellitus, bone marrow endothelial cells participate in the dysregulation of bone marrow hematopoiesis. Diabetes mellitus reduces endothelial production of Cxcl12, a quiescence-promoting niche factor that reduces stem cell proliferation. We describe a previously unknown counterregulatory pathway, in which protective endothelial Egfr signaling curbs HSPC proliferation and myeloid cell production.

Humanized mouse models have become increasingly valuable tools to study human hematopoiesis and infectious diseases. However, human T cell differentiation remains inefficient. We generated mice expressing human interleukin (IL-7), a critical growth and survival factor for T cells, under the control of murine IL-7 regulatory elements. After transfer of human cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, transgenic mice on the NSGW41 background, termed NSGW41hIL7, showed elevated and prolonged human cellularity in the thymus while maintaining physiological ratios of thymocyte subsets. As a consequence, numbers of functional human T cells in the periphery were increased without evidence for pathological lymphoproliferation or aberrant expansion of effector or memory-like T cells. We conclude that the novel NSGW41hIL7 strain represents an optimized mouse model for humanization to better understand human T cell differentiationin vivoand to generate a human immune system with a better approximation of human lymphocyte ratios.

Pulmonary inflammation, which is characterized by the presence of perivascular macrophages, has been proposed as a key pathogenic driver of pulmonary hypertension (PH), a vascular disease with increasing global significance. However, the mechanisms of expansion of lung macrophages and the role of blood-borne monocytes in PH are poorly understood. Using multicolor flow cytometric analysis of blood in mouse and rat models of PH and patients with PH, an increase in blood monocytes was observed. In parallel, lung tissue displayed increased chemokine transcript expression, including those responsible for monocyte recruitment, such as Ccl2 and Cx3cl1, accompanied by an expansion of interstitial lung macrophages. These data indicate that blood monocytes are recruited to lung perivascular spaces and differentiate into inflammatory macrophages. Correspondingly, parabiosis between congenically different hypoxic mice demonstrated that most interstitial macrophages originated from blood monocytes. To define the actions of these cells in PH in vivo, we reduced blood monocyte numbers via genetic deficiency of cx3cr1 or ccr2 in chronically hypoxic male mice and by pharmacologic inhibition of Cx3cl1 in monocrotaline-exposed rats. Both models exhibited decreased inflammatory blood monocytes, as well as interstitial macrophages, leading to a substantial decrease in arteriolar remodeling but with a less robust hemodynamic effect. This study defines a direct mechanism by which interstitial macrophages expand in PH. It also demonstrates a pathway for pulmonary vascular remodeling in PH that depends upon interstitial macrophage-dependent inflammation yet is dissociated, at least in part, from hemodynamic consequences, thus offering guidance on future anti-inflammatory therapeutic strategies in this disease.

Splenic hematopoiesis is crucial to the pathogenesis of diseases including myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis. The spleen acts as a reservoir of myeloid cells, which are quickly expelled out in response to acute inflammation. In contrast to the well-defined bone marrow hematopoiesis, the cellular and molecular components sustaining splenic hematopoiesis are poorly understood. Surprisingly, we found that, unlike quiescent bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), most of splenic HSC are in the G1 phase in C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, splenic HSC were enriched for genes involved in G0-G1 transition and expressed lower levels of genes responsible for G1-S transition. These data indicate that, at steady state, splenic HSC are pre-activated, which may expedite their cell cycle entry in emergency conditions. Consistently, in the acute phase of septic shock induced by LPS injection, splenic HSC entered the S-G2-M phase, whereas bone marrow HSC did not. Mobilization and transplantation experiments displayed that bone marrow HSC, once in the spleen, acquired cell cycle status similar to splenic HSC, strongly suggesting that the splenic microenvironment plays an important role in HSC pre-activation. In addition, we found that myeloid translocation gene 16 (Mtg16) deficiency in C57BL/6 mice resulted in significantly increased S-G2-M entry of splenic but not bone marrow HSC, suggesting that Mtg16 is an intrinsic negative regulator of G1-S transition in splenic HSC. Altogether, this study demonstrates that compared to bone marrow, splenic HSC are in a pre-activated state, which is driven by extracellular signals provided by splenic microenvironment and HSC intrinsic factor Mtg16.

Background Using antibodies against intracellular phosphoproteins, flow cytometry can be used to monitor simultaneously multiple signaling pathways. Here, we tested a recently released procedure to analyze phosphorylation events in human monocytes upon different types of stimulation. Methods Whole blood was treated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), then cells were labeled by antibodies recognizing cell surface and cytosolic proteins. Human monocytes were identified by a CD14 – CD45 staining and three phosphorylated proteins such as AKT, ERK-1/2, and STAT5, were simultaneously detected by multicolor phosphoflow analysis. Results By this rapid method, we are able to detect directly from a blood sample several signaling events in human monocytes where LPS stimulation induces preferentially ERK-1/2 phosphorylation where as GM-CSF stimulation induces STAT5 phosphorylation. Conclusions This procedure provides a simultaneous measurement of multiple activated signaling molecules using a simplified and rapid protocol. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society

Initially classified in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is currently considered as a MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm. Two classes—myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative—have been distinguished upon the level of the white blood cell count (threshold 13 G/L). We analyzed mutations in 19 genes reported in CMML to determine if and how these mutations impacted the respective prognosis of the two classes. We defined four major mutated pathways (DNA methylation, ASXL1, splicing, and signaling) and determined their prognostic impact. The number of mutated pathways impacted overall survival in the myelodysplastic class but not in the myeloproliferative class. The myeloproliferative class had a worse prognosis than the myelodysplastic class and was impacted by RUNX1 mutations only. Our results argue for a reclassification of CMML based on the myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative status. Am. J. Hematol. 89:604–609, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dok1 and Dok2 proteins play a crucial role in myeloid cell proliferation as demonstrated by Dok1 and Dok2 gene inactivation, which induces a myeloproliferative disease in aging mice. In this study, we show that Dok1/Dok2 deficiency affects myeloproliferation even at a young age. An increase in the cellularity of multipotent progenitors is observed in young Dok1/Dok2-deficient mice. This is associated with an increase in the cells undergoing cell cycle, which is restricted to myeloid committed progenitors. Furthermore, cellular stress triggered by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment potentiates the effects of the loss of Dok proteins on multipotent progenitor cell cycle. In addition, Dok1/Dok2 deficiency induces resistance to 5-FU–induced hematopoietic stem cell exhaustion. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Dok1 and Dok2 proteins are involved in the control of hematopoietic stem cell cycle regulation.

There is a growing body of research on the neural control of immunity and inflammation. However, it is not known whether the nervous system can regulate the production of inflammatory myeloid cells from hematopoietic progenitor cells in disease conditions. Myeloid cell numbers in diabetic patients were strongly correlated with plasma concentrations of norepinephrine, suggesting the role of sympathetic neuronal activation in myeloid cell production. The spleens of diabetic patients and mice contained higher numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing leukocytes that produced catecholamines. Granulocyte macrophage progenitors (GMPs) expressed the β2 adrenergic receptor, a target of catecholamines. Ablation of splenic sympathetic neuronal signaling using surgical, chemical, and genetic approaches diminished GMP proliferation and myeloid cell development. Finally, mice lacking TH-producing leukocytes had reduced GMP proliferation, resulting in diminished myelopoiesis. Taken together, our study demonstrates that catecholamines produced by leukocytes and sympathetic nerve termini promote GMP proliferation and myeloid cell development. Neural control of immunity and inflammation has been reported. Vasamsetti and colleagues demonstrate that the sympathetic nervous system controls the development of inflammatory myeloid cells from their progenitors in inflammatory conditions.

This study reports the first isolation and partial genetic characterization of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) from patients during a 2006-2007 dengue-like syndrome outbreak in Gabon. The isolated viruses were phylogenetically close to strains isolated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 7 years ago and to strains isolated more recently in Cameroon. These results indicate a continuing circulation of a genetically stable CHIKV population during 7 years in Central Africa.

Initially classified in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is currently considered as a MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm. Two classes-myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative-have been distinguished upon the level of the white blood cell count (threshold 13 G/L). We analyzed mutations in 19 genes reported in CMML to determine if and how these mutations impacted the respective prognosis of the two classes. We defined four major mutated pathways (DNA methylation, ASXL1, splicing, and signaling) and determined their prognostic impact. The number of mutated pathways impacted overall survival in the myelodysplastic class but not in the myeloproliferative class. The myeloproliferative class had a worse prognosis than the myelodysplastic class and was impacted by RUNX1 mutations only. Our results argue for a reclassification of CMML based on the myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative status.

Mutational analysis of the DOK2 haploinsufficient tumor suppressor gene in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)

12 pages; All the cells are engaged on a cell communication by sending and receiving signals. Cells having the correct receptors on their surfaces will encode the plasma membrane signal recognition to intracellular signals corresponding to cellular signaling events. This process corresponds to a huge intracellular network of protein-protein or lipid-protein interactions. To avoid to be lost in this kind of maze, some general signaling pathways are most of the time present in many cell systems such as MAP kinases or PI-3 kinases pathways. These signaling pathways induce some protein phosphorylation events that can be identified by specific antibodies directed against these phosphosites (anti-phospho antibodies). Thus, these crossroads can be determined by using antibodies. A widely used method to identify these signaling events is the Western blotting or protein immunoblotting from cell extracts. However, several research groups are now developing new analytical techniques based also on the use of anti-phospho antibodies, but allowing them to detect signaling events at the single cell level. These experimental approaches are using the principles of the flow cytometry (FCM). Phosphoflow technology will provide rapid, quantitative and also multi-parameter analyses on single cells.

Since the discovery of the JAK2V617F tyrosine kinase-activating mutation several genes have been found mutated in nonchronic myeloid leukemia (CML) myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), which mainly comprise three subtypes of “classic” MPNs; polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and myelofibrosis (MF). We searched for mutations in ASXL1, CBL, DNMT3A, IDH1, IDH2, JAK2, MPL, NF1, SF3B1, SUZ12, and TET2 genes in 149 non-CML MPNs, including 127 “classic” MPNs cases. JAK2 was mutated in 100% PV, 66% ET and 68% MF. We found a high incidence of ASXL1 mutation in MF patients (20%) and a low incidence in PV (7%) and ET (4%) patients. Mutations in the other genes were rare (CBL, DNMT3A, IDH2, MPL, SF3B1, SUZ12, NF1) or absent (IDH1). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

International audience; Cilia and flagella are evolutionary conserved organelles that generate fluid movement and locomotion, and play roles in chemosensation, mechanosensation and intracellular signalling. In complex organisms, cilia are highly diversified, which allows them to perform various functions; however, they retain a 9+0 or 9+2 microtubules structure connected to a basal body. Here, we describe FOR20 (FOP-related protein of 20 kDa), a previously uncharacterized and highly conserved protein that is required for normal formation of a primary cilium. FOR20 is found in PCM1-enriched pericentriolar satellites and centrosomes. FOR20 contains a Lis1-homology domain that promotes self-interaction and is required for its satellite localization. Inhibition of FOR20 expression in RPE1 cells decreases the percentage of ciliated cells and the length of the cilium on ciliated cells. It also modifies satellite distribution, as judged by PCM1 staining, and displaces PCM1 from a detergent-insoluble to a detergent-soluble fraction. The subcellular distribution of satellites is dependent on both microtubule integrity and molecular motor activities. Our results suggest that FOR20 could be involved in regulating the interaction of PCM1 satellites with microtubules and motors. The role of FOR20 in primary cilium formation could therefore be linked to its function in regulating pericentriolar satellites. A role for FOR20 at the basal body itself is also discussed.